I DO NOT OWN LES MISERABLES OR ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT.

..."S-Sorry, what?" Éponine spluttered, surprised at her mother's enquiry.

"Éponine...You don't have to hide things from me. I'm not the best of them, but I'm a mother, your mother. I can pick up things, especially when it comes to my own children. I've known you were in love with him since the first time you met. I'd never seen you together, but I knew. You'd come home happier...You were hardly ever as sad as you formerly were...Not even when Cretéin would make you...do things, for his gang," she shuddered, shocked that her husband would do such a thing to their daughter.

Éponine smiled slightly. "Well, then, you're right. I am courting him because he's lovely...And thoughtful, and handsome, and understanding, and just the most wonderful man I've ever met," she smiled happily, trying to let her mother in; as well as feeling sorry for her, she'd always longed for a mother who cared, and she was beginning to act more like a mother, therefore Éponine should act more like a daughter.

"I'm so happy for you, 'Ponine," her mother said, standing up to give her a hug.

"You shouldn't be up, Maman!"

"Dear, I've already walked around your home about four times this morning while you were all asleep. I have a cold, and bruises, but I can walk and talk and live normally, so don't worry about me," she smiled lovingly.

Éponine nodded, and leant against the bed.

"So, you can walk just fine?"

"Of course I can."

Éponine's face lit up.

"Bring him in," Thérése smiled.

"What?" Éponine asked, all her previous happiness out the window and half-way to the Seine.

"Marius. I just want to talk to him," she assured her daughter from her fragile position on the bed.

Éponine smiled slightly and left to get Marius.

"Marius, dear?" Éponine called, unsure of where he was.

"Yes?" replied a husky voice, slipping his hands around her waist, and spinning her around.

Éponine grinned, and when he set her down, lightly pecked his lips.

"Maman wants to talk to you," she smiled.

Marius gulped and his eyes widened. For years, he had learnt to fear Éponine's parents. He was sure they didn't like him either, keeping their daughter away from work.

"It's okay," she smiled. "She's an old woman, she can't hurt you. And anyway, she said you're lovely."

"She did?" he started to regain hope that this conversation could go well...

"Also, just a heads up; she knows we're going out."

And there we go, Marius confidence in the success of this conversation plummeted.

"She knows? How does she know?! She doesn't like me, not her, not your father, he's going to kill me!"

"Sssh Marius...She figured it out. She does like you. And we haven't really breached the subject yet, but I hardly think her running away, running to me, means that she's still on good terms with him," Eponine reasoned.

Marius smiled slightly, and kissed Éponine lightly on the forehead, before retreating to her room. Éponine sighed and sat down, waiting for this conversation to be over.

...

Marius knocked on the door of Éponine's room, but not before kissing her on the forehead.

"Come in," Thérése said, weakly.

Marius slipped around the door, going to stand beside her.

"You wanted to talk to me?"

Thérése nodded, smiling. "Yes. I just want to know, what your intentions are with Éponine?"

"I'm sorry?" Marius replied, confused beyond belief.

"Well, Éponine has been hurt by enough men in her life. That's why I need to know that another one isn't going to leave her."

"Madame Thernardier-"

"Thérése. Call me Thérése," she smiled.

"Of course...Thérése, I would never leave your daughter. She means everything to me. I can't imagine life without her again."

"Again?! You left her?!"

"No, No, No! Well...sort of, but I didn't want to. You see, there was a Cosette..." At this, Thérése's eyes visibly widened.

"What did that little bitch do to my daughter?" she snarled, resembling the Madame Thernardier he'd always known.

"You see, I previously went out with Cosette, I was stupid, infatuated...I thought I was in love. Éponine got injured on the barricades, and I thought she was dead. I was left in the dark for two days...The worst two days of my life. But then I realised she was alive. And I also realised that I loved her. I was preparing myself to tell her, but then Cosette turned up. She said the government were hunting down Joly, Enjolras, and 'Ponine, and if I married her, that she would use her father's contacts to keep us safe. I stayed there for ages, until I realised that she wasn't helping to keep them safe, and that the government were too afraid of them to chase them. In the mean time, Cosette had paid a visit to Éponine without my knowledge...Let's just say, 'Ponine doesn't have a sieve in her mind, and she told Cosette exactly what she thought of her and the whole situation. Cosette left the shop very...humbled, and quiet," he chuckled slightly.

"Éponine really gave it to her, anyway. Then a little while later, myself and Cosette were at the opera, but so where Éponine, Joly, Enjolras, Lottie and Nicolette. We talked, I explained myself, and we planned. I left Cosette, and she's yet to reappear. Éponine has a job at Valerie's seamtress, and is an amazing sewer," Marius finished, releasing a breath.

Thérése smiled to herself. "She sews?"

"Oh yes. She can cook, sew, clean, and I'm halfway through teaching her to read and write," Marius smiled.

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"Everything. When I was too scared to be there for you, you were. You've given so much to her, you've given her the love she deserves. I don't think I can ever make it up to you," she smiled.

Marius looked down at his hands, and twisted them against each other, a clear sign of nervousness. "Well, there's...one thing."

"Anything!"

"Can I have your permission, to take her hand in marriage?"

"Of course!" Thérése grinned, and locked him in a bear hug.

When she released him, she went to the door. "But before that happens, I have one more...thing to take care of."

And with that, she set out in search of trouble.

...

My tests start on Tuesday, so I'll be wayyyyyyy busy til then!

Thanks again for all the reviews! They, and you, are all absolutely amazing!

I HAV 86 FOLLOWS! I can't believe that 86 people get an email about my updates, I actually cannot believe it. And 47 faves! You guys are AMAZING!

I love you all loads, till next time!

Léis an grá i mo chroí,

Ó Niamh Ní Luachra.